He was 86 years old
Werder legend Max Lorenz dies
Updated 10/24/2025 – 6:26 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
With Werder Bremen he won the DFB Cup and the German championship. He also played for the national team. Now Max Lorenz has died.
Long-time Bundesliga and ex-national player Max Lorenz is dead. His former club Werder Bremen announced this on Friday evening. He was 86 years old. “With Max Lorenz we are losing one of the greatest Bremen football idols of all time. His death makes us deeply sad,” said Werder President Dr. Hubertus Hess-Grunewald praised the deceased’s achievements in the club’s announcement. “Max always felt connected to SV Werder and was a figurehead for our club until the end,” the president continued.
“The fact that he can no longer be with us leaves a big gap. Our condolences go out to his family,” said Hess-Grunewald. Klaus Filbry, chairman of the Werder management, added: “The news of Max Lorenz’s death fills us all with great sadness. We salute his extraordinary life’s achievements and his services to Werder.” Filbry continues: “His identification with our club and with the city of Bremen was extraordinary. Max Lorenz achieved great things as a footballer and was also an outstanding representative of SV Werder afterwards. We mourn with his family.”
Lorenz’ sons, Sven and Marc, his grandchildren, Philipp and Marcel, and his great-grandson Max also have their say in the club’s announcement: “For many Werder fans, our father was certainly known primarily as a player and Werder legend, for us he was above all a loving father and an absolute family man who will leave a big gap, but will continue to be with us in our hearts.”
Lorenz was born in Bremen in August 1939 and moved to Werder at the age of 20. In 1961 he won the first major title in the club’s history, the DFB Cup, with the von der Weser club. In 1965 they won the German championship. Almost at the same time he celebrated his debut for the national team, for which he played a total of 19 times. He was also part of the squad for the runner-up World Cup title in 1966, but was not used.
After 176 Bundesliga games, Lorenz moved to Eintracht Braunschweig in 1969, where he was under contract until 1972 and then ended his career.